Carlsbad

Can you describe what kind of New Years Eve and Sunday brunch experiences you want? Elegant? Wild? Fancy? Not Fancy? Expensive? Not Expensive?

I knew it was only a matter of time.

Great reviews (as usual). Getz-Gilberto can be a little louder than other music. I appreciate the fact you give prices. I think everyone should.

I would say you did quite well in the alloted time, docsconz. Thanks for all the reviews. We also enjoyed Marie-Ann Cantin's cheeses and Max's bread very much.

Thanks calling attention to this article. It brought back some fond memories.

I guess I'm not alone after all.

I like the list. I am still wondeering why I'm the only one on here who likes Fleur de Lys though.

Nice post Jonathan.

Thanks. I was just checking. Bux, no attendence taken, but the quiz will be given after the final entry.

Just wondering if anyone is reading this?

In La Jolla, take a look at George's at the Cove, the Marine Room and Tapenade. They have been discussed on here and all have websites.

Bux, I think we are all less easily impressed than we used to be in the '60's. I know a lot of what I thought was good then would be pretty disappointing to me now.

I've read this thread with interest. I've never eaten in a restaurant that offered a menu surprise, and indeed the only one I've heard about is l'Astrance. I may or may not order one if it were presented. I don't see it as any indication that there has been a decline, anymore than I see a decline evidenced by the fact that some restaurants have no choice menus, either alone or along with a la carte offerings. If I don't want these things, I would simply go elsewhere. There are many restaurants in Paris that offer choices. Sometimes I order individual dishes and sometimes I order menus. If I don't want only one set menu, I go where I have choice, and usually pay more for the same quality of food, which seems very fair to me. I looked at some old menus from three star restaurants of the past, just to see if I could see any noticeable differences. Frankly, I don't, although the menus only go back to the '60's. Although Fernand Point died in 1955, his widow carried on for a number of years, and I doubt she changed much. On the 7th of March, 1964, the carte from Restaurant de la Pyramide had a menu of five courses, including cheese, that is remarkably like the one I had at Taillevent last month in composition. Madame Point's menu offered two choices for most courses, and ours didn't, but then we also had an additional course. The menu I have from la Pyramide dated March 23, 1978, was almost the same, although the price had gone from 45 francs to 160 francs in those 14 years. The a la carte section had 10 entrees, 7 seafoods, and 6 meat/poultry offerings. When we are at Taillevent, they had 8 entrees, 6 seafoods, and 8 meat/poultry offerings. Taillevent had two fixed menus to one for la Pyramide. I don't really see a significant decline in the choices. The prices have gone up significantly, but then in 1964, one could buy a house in southern California for about $25K that now costs $750K or more. At 135E, I thought the menu at Taillevent was a bargain. Comparing Bocuse's menu from 1978 with that of today, (and with the one I had there in 1989, little has changed. In '78, he had 10 entrees, 5 seafoods, and 10 meats/poultry offerings. He also had 2 fixed menus. Today, he has 9 entrees, 5 fishes, and 11 meat/poultry. He now offers 3 set menus. As when I was there, most of his signature items are included on the set menus. Many of the dishes are the same as they were in '78, and in '89 when I was there. I doubt that they are executed much differently, although they seem a bit out-dated to me now. I thought the food on our recent trip to Paris was excellent. I think there have been changes over the years I've been going there, but I don't see a decline. My taste has changed in the past 16 years, and some of the things I liked then now seem less interesting. I think that is normal for everyone. I applaud the young chefs who offer a great meal at 30 or 40E. Mon Vieil Ami gave us 2 very nice meals (with adequate choice) at about 38E. I thought Les Ormes gave us a superior meal (again a la carte). The degustation menus at Le Troquet and Le Pamphlet were better than I usually get in the US for the more money, even with the bad exchange rate. The three star places in Paris seem to have more than enough patrons, even if some of them have very high prices. As far as I see, they still offer good choice or fixed menus. They can command the prices they do because there are some people who don't really care what things cost. The same can be said for the great wines of the world. It's supply and demand. Perhaps, taxes on restaurants in France should be reduced. I doubt that would have any effect on the prices to us, however. I usually try to avoid becoming political on here, but it seems that there is a political bent to this discussion, so I will make a few comments in reply. In the US, our restaurants are not taxed as much, and they often use labor that is grossly underpaid and often not documented to work here. The rest of us subsidize the worker's healthcare and some other necessities- through government programs and in more subtle ways. (I suspect there is some of that in France as well, but I doubt it is nearly to the degree we see here.) And compared to what I see in the US, Paris is still a great restaurant city. Edited for typos.

I think I find restaurant comfort more essential than I used to. I like to be able to talk comfortably, and I like enough space that I don't feel like the proverbial sardine. (I recall having lunch a few years back at Lescure, and I have never seen such close seating. Luckily, it wasn't crowded that day or it would have been terrible. The food was marginal.) Real luxury is nice once in a while, but I don't need it often. I'm not much for the 23 "course" menus, but I do often like a five or six course fixed menu, especially if it has some of the dishes I wanted to try. I love the new bistros, where you get three or four courses of market driven food for a good price, especially if the place has a decent comfort level. I'm partial to more intimate places, where I have a feeling that the chef is really cooking for me, rather than for a mass of people of which I am one. The food needs to be made of the best products, carefully and respectfully prepared, and neatly presented. Innovation is good to a point, but so is tradition. Service should be friendly, helpful, and professional, without pretense. I don't need a huge wine list, but I really enjoy some interesting wines I don't usually have or even see at home. Someone with real knowledge to talk to me about the wines is a definite plus.

I don't know that you'll find the perfect spot. You might consider Region, although it's a little drive from downtown, and I would not call it elegant at all. http://www.regionrestaurant.com/ The food is very fresh and good in a sort of Alice Waters wannabe way. If you want fancy and downtown, the Star of the Sea Room has received some very nice reviews lately. They made me want to go back after a lot of years. It's almost all seafood. http://www.starofthesea.com/ Azzura Point at the Loews Resort on Coronado is also good if you don't mind driving over there. There are the usual chain steak houses, and also Bertrand's at Mr. A's. But remember, it's San Diego, not San Francisco or Las Vegas. You could do better if you drive to La Jolla, but it is a bit of a drive.

If only we all had the choices you find in Paris at home. I shopped at Legrande Filles & Fils twice during my stay in July, and the service and selection were first rate. They also have a very nice wine bar now that spills out on the Gallerie Vivienne, a very nice setting. They serve about 16 to 20 wines by the glass, and I thought they were interesting and well-priced. A few food items were also available, but we didn't try them. They also have a shop across the gallerie that sells wine glasses, openers of all sorts, books, and other wine-related items.

How about take-out ribs and cook the sides at home? You will both be happy.

Reading another thread made me realize that I've been considering what I like in a restaurant, and how it differs from others I know. Obviously, we all have different priorities. I've noticed I can't eat like I once could, and I think my tastes have changed over the years. I like one thing if it's just for one night, but a variety if it's for an extended vacation. I wonder what you look for in a restaurant in Paris or anywhere in France, for one night at home or on vacation.

Reading this thread reminds me that I've been considering what I like in a restaurant, and how it differs from others I know. Obviously, we all have different priorities. I've noticed I can't eat like I once could, and I think my tastes have changed over the years. I like one thing if it's just for one night, but a variety if it's for an extended vacation. I wonder what you look for in a restaurant, for one night at home and on vacation.

Our big dinner this trip was at Taillevent, which did not disappoint. We had a nice table in the main dining room, which is a beautifully done space with a traditional look that is enhanced with modern art. The style of the room seemed to be in keeping with the cuisine that was to come. The service was extremely gracious from top to bottom. We all had the menu degustation, which I think is a bargain for 130E, especially compared to other three star places. I would call the food traditional, with enough innnovation to make it interesting, and our menu had a nod to provence. My wife retained a copy of the small menu and the check is somewhat detailed, making recollection of the meal much easier. After amuses which I can't recall exactly, we started with a refreshing veloute de tourteau refraichi, tomates et coriandre. It was one of the highlights of the meal. The flavors of crab and tomato were intense, the cilantro was subtle, and the dish was very rich. This was followed by epeauture du pays de Sault en risotto, cuisses de grenouille dorees. The "risotto" had a fine texture and flavor and the frog's legs were nicely browned and added interest to the dish. The next dish was rouget barbet poele en aioli, brandade de merlu. It sang with flavors of the south. The brandade was stuffed into an intensely favored red pepper. Next was agneau des Pyrenees au piment d'Espelette, jus a la sariette. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare to rare and was very flavorful meat, enhanced slightly by the pepper and jus. After chevre frais served with tapenade toasts and a delightful mescun salad, we had cristalline a la rhubarbe et aux fraise and then gourmandise au chocolate au lait et au thym. Both desserts were memorable. We had aperitifs (2 coups of Dom Perignon and some dry sherry), a bottle of very good Cassis (a perfect choice with the soup and the risotto- it seemed like a different wine when the dishes changed), a bottle of Pibernon white (also excellent), and a bottle of old vine Cotes Roussillon 1999, which was perfect with the lamb. As an anniversary gift for my wife and I, our friend ordered a bottle of 1969 Vin Jaune to go with the cheese. (I was worried about the cost when I saw the fuss the staff made over this wine as it was decanted, and I was actually relieved when I saw that it was 195E.) I had heard of the wine (and it was discussed recently on here), but had never had one and we all found it delighful. The total bill for four was 1036E, and we all vowed to return.

I'll bet it was pretty good steak/frites though. Wasn't L'Astrance one of the sources of the menu surprise concept?

I like the soapbox. I do have to say that I shopped the rue Montorgueil this last trip, and loved it. The best rotisseried chicken I think I've ever had. I don't think I want to know how good it used to be.

I've never been to Lipp, probably because of all the negative things I've read about it. I doubt I'll ever go, primarily because there are so many other places and my time is always too short. This last trip, I did have lunch for the first time across the blvd. at Les Deux Magots. It's always been a favorite for drinks, even if there are a lot of tourists and the drinks are expensive for a cafe. I had a salad for lunch by the way (it was not bad at all), and I was able to answer the bell for a grand dinner that night. As I said on another post, the waiter was the friendliest I've ever had there or at any cafe. The setting is grand. As for bistros, I would suggest Le Troquet, and if they reopen in time, Mon Vieil Ami. I think you will also like Aux Lyonnais for the old-time bistro experience, updated very subtly. My brasseries of choice have been Bofinger and Chez Jenny, and I always have the choucroute. There are many others just as good though, if you stick to what they do best.

In the 6th, Comptoir of the Relais St Germain has tables on Carrefour de l’Odeon. It's probably not what you are looking for, but we had a surprisingly pleasant lunch outside at Les Deux Magots, served by the friendliest cafe waiter I've ever seen. In the 7th, on the rue St-Dominique, Les Fables de la Fontaine and Fontaine de Mars both have tables on the same tiny square, and I think Cafe Constant had a couple tables outside, but it might be hard to get one of them. Also, Maupertu has some nice outside tables overlooking Les Invalides' dome. I haven't been there in several years, but enjoyed it then. I wonder if anyone has been there lately. Au Bon Accueil has some small tables outside with a view of the Eiffel Tower. We loved Le Clos Des Gourmets recently, and they have tables outside on the Avenue Rapp.

I haven't been there, but Second City Bistro looks interesting and would be convenient to the Airport Hotels.